Air-Cooled Plate-Fin Phase-Change Radiator with Composite Capillary Grooves

ABSTRACT

An air-cooled plate-fin phase-change radiator with composite capillary grooves includes a heat exchanger box and a base plate. Inside said base plate, there is a base plate inner cavity holding the working medium. The heat exchanger box includes a cooling medium channel. There are radiating fins I, and phase-change channels set alternately inside the cooling medium channel. The heat exchanger box is mounted on said base plate, connecting the phase-change channels to the base plate inner cavity. The phase-change channels and the base plate inner cavity form a closed phase-change heat exchange chamber. Grooves are set on the inner wall of phase-change channels. There are radiating fins II or metal fiber felt inside said phase-change channels. Capillary channels are set on the inner wall of said base plate inner cavity. The highly integrated radiating fins I-phase-change channel compact structure saves space effectively.

TECHNICAL FIELD

This invention involves a type of radiator, specifically an air-cooled plate-fin composite phase-change radiator with capillary grooves.

BACKGROUND TECHNOLOGY

Among the domestic and foreign heat transfer enhancement technologies, many efficient phase-change heat transfer technologies are developed based on the high heat transfer coefficient and uniform temperature of vapor condensation and liquid boiling evaporation. Although great achievements have been achieved in reducing the boiler exhaust-gas temperature and in recycling waste heat to improve heat efficiency, applications to bullet train cooling are rarely reported. Seen from the current research on phase-change heat exchangers, the reflux rate of phase-change working medium is an important factor influencing the heat transfer efficiency.

DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

In response to the above problems, this invention designs a kind of air-cooled plate-fin composite phase-change radiator with capillary grooves by the following technical means:

An air-cooled plate-fin phase-change radiator with composite capillary grooves includes a heat exchanger box and a base plate. Inside said base plate, there is a base plate inner cavity holding the working medium. The heat exchanger box mentioned includes a cooling medium channel There are radiating fins I, and phase-change channels set alternately inside the cooling medium channel. The heat exchanger box mentioned is mounted on said base plate, connecting the phase-change channels to the base plate inner cavity. The phase-change channels and the base plate inner cavity form a closed phase-change heat exchange chamber. Grooves are set on the inner wall of phase-change channels. There are radiating fins II or metal fiber felt inside said phase-change channels. Capillary channels are set on the inner wall of said base plate inner cavity.

Further, the radiating fins II as well as the radiating fins I mentioned are rectangular staggered-tooth fins, or flat-top sinusoidal staggered-tooth fins or triangular corrugated fins. The capillary channels mentioned are metal fiber felt, and are regular or irregular pores with an equivalent diameter of 0.001-2 mm. The porosity of the capillary channels is 60%-90%.

Further, the base plate mentioned includes an upper cover base plate and a lower cover base plate. On the inner wall of each base plate, there is metal fiber felt. The upper cover base plate mentioned has bar-shaped holes connecting the base plate inner cavity to the phase-change channels.

Further, between said upper cover base plate and said lower cover base plate, there is a supporting structure. The supporting structure is one or more supporting pillars or supporting ribs, and metal fiber felt is set on the outer wall of the mentioned supporting structure.

Further, the radiating fins I are rectangular staggered-tooth fins with a thickness of 0.05-0.5 mm. The pitch of their rectangular tooth waves is 3-15 mm, and the wave height is 2-30 mm. The opening width of rectangular tooth incision is between 0.5 mm and a quarter of the wave pitch.

Further, with both the width and the depth of 0.1-1.5 mm, the grooves mentioned connect with the pores of capillary channels.

Further, a phase-change channel consists of two parallel partitions and the side sealing tapes on both ends of the partitions. The top of a phase-change channel is sealed by a top sealing tape. There are grooves on the side of partitions and sealing tapes towards the phase-change channel

Further, said radiating fins I are clamped between the partitions from both sides of the cooling medium channels. There are air sealing tapes at the top and bottom of the mentioned cooling medium channel, and there are side guard plates on both sides is of the heat exchanger box mentioned.

Further, the base material of phase-change radiator mentioned is aluminum, aluminum alloy, copper, or copper alloy.

Over the prior art, the air-cooled plate-fin phase-change radiator with composite capillary grooves mentioned in this invention has the following advantages:

1. Working medium phase change is used to realize rapid conduction and high heat transfer efficiency;

2. Air-cooled radiation based on the fins of sine-square wave composite structure realizes efficient radiation and omits the setting of water tanks;

3. The highly integrated radiating fins I-phase-change channel compact structure saves space effectively. The size and number of phase-change channels are adjustable. The heat exchanger has a wide applicable power range.

4. The composite structure of grooves and tooth fins in the phase-change channel increases the heat exchange area greatly, making the heat transfer working medium condensate rapidly at the radiation end and flow back rapidly in the rectangular tooth fin face and in the capillary groove, in the presence of both weight and capillary ability.

5. The sintering metal fiber felt in the cavity can help the working medium with reflux and prevent the working medium from evaporating to dryness. Also, the metal fiber felt makes the liquid working medium uniform distributed on the entire cavity is surface, realizing the uniform temperature of base plate.

6. The supporting pillar or supporting rib inside the base plate inner cavity prevents the base plate from deforming. Besides, the auxiliary fiber felt on its surface can speed up the reflux of working medium.

DESCRIPTION OF FIGURES

FIG. 1 shows the structure of this embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 2a shows the internal structure of the phase-change channel mentioned in the embodiment of the invention (rectangular staggered-tooth fins).

FIG. 2b shows the internal structure of phase-change channel mentioned in the embodiment of the invention (flat-top sinusoidal tooth fins).

FIG. 2c shows the internal structure of phase-change channel mentioned in the embodiment of the invention (triangular corrugated fins).

FIG. 3 shows the structure of base plate mentioned in the embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 4 shows the top view of the embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 5 shows the structure of flat-top sinusoidal tooth fin mentioned in the embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 6 shows the stereoscopic structure of rectangular tooth fin mentioned in the embodiment of the invention.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Referring to FIGS. 1-6, an air-cooled plate-fin phase-change radiator with composite capillary grooves includes a heat exchanger box and base plates. Inside such a base plate, there is an inner cavity 3 holding the working medium. The heat exchanger box composed of a cooling medium channel 10. There are radiating fins I 11, and phase-change channels 6 set alternately inside the cooling medium channel 10. The heat exchanger box is mounted on said base plate to connect the phase-change channels 6 to the base plate inner cavity 3. The phase-change channels 6 and the base plate inner cavity 3 form a closed phase-change heat exchange chamber. The phase-change heat exchange chamber is vacuumed to a vacuum chamber in use, and the base plate inner cavity 3 is filled with working medium. Grooves 5 are set on the inner wall of phase-change channel 6. There are radiating fins II 7 or a metal fiber felt fixed on the inner wall of the phase-change channel 6. Capillary channels are set on the inner wall of base plate inner cavity 3.

In this embodiment, the capillary channels mentioned are metal fiber felt, and are regular or irregular pores with an equivalent diameter of 0.001-2 mm. And the porosity of the capillary channels is 60%-90%. The base plate mentioned includes an upper cover base plate 2 and a lower cover base plate 1 welded together. Between the upper cover base plate 2 and the lower cover base plate 1, there is a supporting structure 12. The supporting structure includes one or more supporting pillars or supporting ribs. There is metal fiber felt on the inner wall of the upper cover base plate 2 and the lower cover base plate 1. The upper metal fiber felt 15 is on the inner wall of upper cover base plate 2, and the lower metal fiber felt 16 is on the inner wall of lower cover base plate 1. On the outer wall of supporting structure 12, there is auxiliary fiber felt 13. The upper metal fiber felt 15, the lower metal fiber felt 16, and the auxiliary fiber felt 13 mentioned can be either the same or different and their pores are all connected. The metal fiber felt is sintered on the inner wall of the base plate or on the outer wall of support pillars. The upper cover base plate 2 mentioned has bar-shaped holes 14 connecting the base plate inner cavity to the phase-change channels. The supporting structure 12 mentioned can be a cylindrical, prismatic, oval or oblate, or bar-shaped rib, as needed.

The phase-change channel 6 mentioned consists of two parallel partitions 18 and the side sealing tapes 17 on both ends of partitions 18. The partitions 18 and side sealing tapes 17 are fixed, by braze welding, into a phase-change channel 6 with a rectangular section. The top of the phase-change channel is sealed by a top sealing tape 8 and the bottom is fixed at the bar-shaped hole of upper cover base plate 2. There are grooves 5 on the side of partitions 18 and the inside of side sealing tapes 17 towards the phase-change channel In this embodiment, grooves 5 are longitudinal grooves with a rectangular, trapezoidal, semi-circular, or sinusoidal section, and their width and depth are 0.15-1.5 mm. These grooves connect with the pores of capillary channel The existence of grooves increases the heat exchange area, making the working medium condensate rapidly on the inner wall of phase-change channels 6 and flow back rapidly in grooves 5, in the presence of both weight and capillary ability. The air-cooled combination saves the setting of water tanks and achieves the effects of heat transfer and storage, improving the heat radiation efficiency of the system.

Radiating fins I 11 are clamped between the partitions 18 from both sides of the cooling medium channels 10. In this embodiment, the cooling medium channel 10 is an air channel. That is to say, the cooling medium is air. The wave peaks of radiating fins I 11 mentioned are braze welded on the partitions 18. At the top and bottom of the cooling medium channel mentioned, there are air sealing tapes 9. On both sides of the heat exchanger box mentioned, there are side guard plates 19.

Referring to FIGS. 2a, 2b and 2c , the radiating fins II 7 as well as the radiating fins I 11 mentioned are rectangular staggered-tooth fins, or flat-top sinusoidal tooth fins, or triangular corrugated fins. The sinusoidal waves with peaks cut flat are flat-top sinusoidal waveform.

The radiating fins I 11 mentioned are rectangular staggered-tooth fins. Of to radiating fins I, the thickness is 0.05-0.5 mm, and the wave height is 2-30 mm. Of radiating fins I 11, the wavelength of rectangular tooth wave is 3-15 mm, and the peak height 2-30 mm. The opening width of rectangular tooth incision is 0 mm-¼ wave pitch.

The base material of phase-change radiator is aluminum, aluminum alloy, copper or copper alloy. Components can be made of either the same material or different materials.

In this embodiment, the structure of plate-fin radiator is used, and the heat absorption in vaporization and the heat radiation in liquefaction of the phase-change working medium realize the efficient heat transfer. The liquefaction end and air cooling intensify the heat radiation, taking away heat rapidly. Rectangular staggered-tooth fins increase the heat exchange area greatly. The heat transfer working medium condensates rapidly at the heat radiation side and flows back rapidly in the rectangular staggered-tooth fin face and in capillary grooves, in the presence of both weight and capillary ability. The air-cooled combination saves the installation of water tanks and achieves the effects of heat transfer and storage, improving the heat radiation efficiency of the system. The intra-cavity sintering fiber can help the working medium with reflux and prevent the working medium from evaporating to dryness. Also, the fiber layer makes the liquid working medium uniform on the entire cavity surface, realizing the uniform temperature of base plate.

The embodiment mentioned above describes the preferred embodiment of this invention only. It does not define the range of this invention. All variations and improvements of this invention made by the ordinary technicians in this field should fall within the scope of protection defined in the claims of this invention, provided that these variations and improvements do not deviate from the spirit of this invention is design. 

1. An air-cooled plate-fin phase-change radiator with composite capillary grooves includes a heat exchanger box and a base plate, wherein inside said base plate, there is a base plate inner cavity holding the working medium; the heat exchanger box mentioned includes a cooling medium channel; there are radiating fins I, and phase-change channels set alternately inside the cooling medium channel; the heat exchanger box mentioned is mounted on said base plate, connecting the phase-change channels to the base plate inner cavity, the phase-change channels and the base plate inner cavity form a closed phase-change heat exchange chamber; grooves are set on the inner wall of phase-change channels; there are radiating fins II or metal fiber felt inside said phase-change channels; and capillary channels are set on the inner wall of said base plate inner cavity.
 2. The air-cooled plate-fin phase-change radiator with composite capillary grooves according to claim 1, wherein the radiating fins II as well as the radiating fins I mentioned are rectangular staggered-tooth fins, or flat-top sinusoidal staggered-tooth fins or triangular corrugated fins; the capillary channels mentioned are metal fiber felt, and are regular or irregular pores with an equivalent diameter of 0.001-2 mm; and the porosity of the capillary channels is 60%-90%.
 3. The air-cooled plate-fin phase-change radiator with composite capillary grooves according to claim 1, wherein the base plate mentioned includes an upper cover base plate and a lower cover base plate; on the inner wall of each base plate, there is metal fiber felt; the upper cover base plate mentioned has bar-shaped holes connecting the base plate inner cavity to the phase-change channels.
 4. The air-cooled plate-fin phase-change radiator with composite capillary grooves according to claim 1, wherein between said upper cover base plate and said lower cover base plate, there is a supporting structure; said supporting structure is one or more supporting pillars or supporting ribs, and metal fiber felt is set on the outer wall of the mentioned supporting structure.
 5. The air-cooled plate-fin phase-change radiator with composite capillary grooves according to claim 1, wherein the radiating fins I are rectangular staggered-tooth fins with a thickness of 0.05-0.5 mm; the pitch of their rectangular tooth waves is 3-15 mm, and the wave height is 2-30 mm; and the opening width of rectangular tooth incision is between 0.5 mm and a quarter of the wave pitch.
 6. The air-cooled plate-fin phase-change radiator with composite capillary grooves according to claim 1, wherein with both the width and the depth of 0.1-1.5 mm, the grooves mentioned connect with the pores of capillary channels.
 7. The air-cooled plate-fin phase-change radiator with composite capillary grooves according to claim 1, wherein a phase-change channel consists of two parallel partitions and the side sealing tapes on both ends of the partitions; the top of a phase-change channel is sealed by a top sealing tape; and there are grooves on the side of partitions and sealing tapes towards the phase-change channel.
 8. The air-cooled plate-fin phase-change radiator with composite capillary grooves according to claim 1, wherein said radiating fins I are clamped between the partitions from both sides of the cooling medium channels; there are air sealing tapes at the top and bottom of the mentioned cooling medium channel, and there are side guard plates on both sides of the heat exchanger box mentioned.
 9. The air-cooled plate-fin phase-change radiator with composite capillary grooves according to claim 1, wherein the base material of phase-change radiator mentioned is aluminum, aluminum alloy, copper, or copper alloy. 